Business Liability Insurance PA Policy Information

Business Liability Insurance PA. The Small Business Administration identifies three types of business liability insurance for the average small business. These include general business liability insurance, product liability insurance and professional liability insurance. Each of these have their own purpose and, depending on your business type, may or may not be of benefit to you. Of greatest benefit to almost all businesses is a general business liability insurance PA policy. This policy acts as the first line of defense against many liability claims against your business.

General business liability insurance PA comes into play if a claim is made against your business by a third party. This could be for an incident such as property damage or bodily injury as a result of an action of an employee or contractor. The general business liability insurance usually covers legal fees in defense of the company and has a maximum settlement or court award value that the insurance will cover. Though not required by Pennsylvania law, most Pennsylvania businesses choose to protect themselves from financial loss and maintain a general business liability insurance policy. A typical policy may include bodily injury and property damage, personal injury liability and legal defense and judgement.

Business liablity insurance PA protects your company from lawsuits with rates as low as $27/mo. Get a fast quote and your certificate of insurance now.

Currently, the Pacific Research Institute ranks Pennsylvania among the worst states when considering the legal climate for business liability. A state constitutional ban exists barring the legislature from setting certain limits in business liability lawsuits, leaving businesses open to financial ruin. It is advisable for all Pennsylvania businesses to strongly consider commercial general liability insurance. It is your first line of defense against frivolous and legitimate claims and lawsuits.

Bodily Injury and Property Damage

The bodily injury and property damage liability portion of the general business liability insurance PA policy generally covers physical injury to a person other than an employee at your place of business.

It also covers physical injury caused by you or your employee in the course of business on another person's property. Medical payments for such injury are often part of the settlement. Also the coverage includes damage caused by you or an employee to another person or entity's property.

Libel, Slander and Copyright Infringement

The general business liability insurance PA policy also includes coverage for libel, slander and copyright infringement by employees acting on behalf of the business. It also covers the invasion of property or privacy and wrongful eviction and losses caused by your advertising. These instances involve damage that is alleged to be caused by you or an employee against an individual or another.

Legal Defense and Judgements

Lastly, the typical business liability insurance PA coverage provides protection for legal defense and judgement which generally includes costs of defense against lawsuits and judgement limited to coverage liabilities. This part of the policy can be invaluable when settling lawsuits. Legal representation to handle the matter provides a sense of security in dealing with these matters.

Why You Need Business Liability Insurance PA

The business liability insurance PA can help protect businesses by covering legal claims. Policies can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the business by adjusting coverage amounts, deductibles and varying the dollar limits of the coverage. By adjusting deductibles and coverage amounts you will find a policy to meet your needs while staying within your budget.

Each claim can result in a devastating financial cost to a small business. Customer slip and fall claims have the highest rate of occurrence in business liability. Some estimates have the average payout for these types of claims at well over $30,000. These happen more often than you can imagine. The injured party generally has to show that the business was negligent, but sometimes that is not the case. An employee mops the floor and forgets to put the "wet floor" sign up and a customer slips and gets injured. Another example is a customer tripping over a sidewalk crack outside the business.

One such slip and fall accident in Pennsylvania resulted in a $250,000 pre-trial settlement to the claimant for an injury in small grocery store. The individual walked down the aisle of the store and slipped on some spilled liquid laundry detergent. This resulted in a significant injury to the claimant, requiring medical attention and loss of work.

Ranked next is a customer injury and damage claim which often costs the business in excess of $40,000. Very similar to slip and fall, the customer has been injured through an act either through an action or through negligence. Recently in Pennsylvania, a female was awarded $300,000 after she was injured during a robbery. It was determined that the business was negligent in the provision of security in a high crime area and that they were liable for the customer's injuries.

Reputational harm claims are also among the most frequent business liability insurance claims in Pennsylvania with an average settlement of $50,000. In this internet age, reputational harm cases are on the rise. The unauthorized use of a picture that can negatively impact a person or business reputation is an example of this. A negative, hostile online reaction by an employee to a review or blog could be another example. In cases where a lawsuit is filed, the average can run up to $100,000 with legal fees and court costs. In Pennsylvania, jury awards can be even higher due to the legal atmosphere. Though most defamation cases have historically centered on the media, claims against employers have been made with significant awards made to former employees. Former employees proving that employers make false statements that negatively impact their earning potential are among these cases.

Choosing the Best Policy for Small Business Needs

Insurance rates can be highly competitive and vary by area, coverage type, deductibles, limits and other variables. This is true for general business liability insurance PA. In addition to providing you the best coverage, a commercial insurance professional work with you to understand your business needs and develop a plan to manage your unique risks.

While you might have a fantastic idea for a business, if you aren't setting up shop in the right PA location, there's a good chance that you won't see the success that you hope to achieve. With that said, it's important that you have an understanding of the economic status of the state that you are thinking about doing business in. It's also important for you to know what type of rules and regulations regarding insurance are in place in that state.

If you are thinking about doing business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, keep on reading to find out some valuable information that you can use to make the best choices for your operation.

Pennsylvania's Economy Now And Into The Future

In terms of the economy, Pennsylvania's future looks pretty bright. It boasts the sixth largest economy in the United States. It is also home to some of the largest private and public organizations in the nation, as per sales.

The job market is expected to see steady growth in Pennsylvania during the 2019 calendar year. That rate is expected to be 1 percent, which is a marked increase from previous years. This is largely due to the high pool of educated laborers that reside in the state. Currently the unemployment rate is 4.9 percent, which is on-par with the rest of the nation. It is believed that the unemployment rate will continue to drop as more jobs are added.

For business owners, there are several industries that will afford success. The food products industry, particularly related to agriculture, contributes largely to the state's economy. This is expected to continue moving forward throughout the 2019 calendar year. Other industries that are forecasted to see growth include:

Education

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Mining

Printing & Publishing

If you are thinking about doing business in PA, working in one of these industries will likely afford you success.

Insurance Requirements For Businesses In Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department regulates insurance in PA. Business owners are legally required to carry workers compensation insurance. This type of coverage is a must for any business that employs any W2 part-time or full-time employees, and for employees that are either hourly or salaried. You must also carry PA commercial auto insurance if you plan on using a vehicle to conduct anything related to your business.

While commercial liability insurance is not required in Pennsylvania, it is still a wise idea to invest in. This type of coverage will protect you from the cost of any lawsuits that could potentially arise.

Additional Resources For Small Business Insurance

Protect your company and employees with the right commercial insurance policies. Read informative articles on small business insurance coverages - and how they can help shield your company from legal liabilities.

Your small business faces many potential disasters including: fire, floods, theft, equipment breakdown, lawsuits from clients or customers and current & former employees. Any many other risks you haven't even thought about.

A small business commercial insurance program should provide protection for both larger and smaller disasters. The obvious things like fire, flood and theft most business owners think about... but what if a hacker infects your computers with a virus - and files containing private customer information like credit card and Social Security numbers are stolen?

Who is going to pay to fix your customers credit rating etc...? Will your insurance pay for the cost? You need to know that.

Your commercial insurance program should cover events that can close down your company, or cause it to lose revenue. Anything less than that is not enough coverage. Commmercial insurance doesn't cover everything, and all policies have exclusions and limits.

You need a written plan that allows you to get your operations back up and running as quick as possible.

Also learn about Pennsylvania small business insurance requirements for general liability, business property, commercial auto & workers compensation including PA business insurance costs. Call us (267) 296-1099.

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Disclaimer

The commercial insurance content available on this page is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal or financial advice.

General Liability Insure does not warrant or make any representations regarding the usefulness of or the expected results of the material contained on this website. You should contact your attorney, accountant and/or financial adviser to obtain advice with respect to any particular commercial insurance question, claim or issue.